What is an Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans?
In 2017 the government released its first Cycling and walking investment strategy, the strategy outlines the government’s ambition to make cycling and walking the natural choice for shorter journeys. Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plans (LCWIPs) were identified in the strategy as a new strategic approach to identifying cycling and walking improvements at a local level. The LCWIP is designed to facilitate a long term approach to developing networks, but also designed so that the document can be updated and revisited throughout the 10-year period.
The key outputs of an LCWIP are:
- a cycle and walking network plan identifying preferred routes
- a prioritised programme of infrastructure improvements of future investment
- a report setting out the narrative behind the prioritisation of routes
LCWIPs in North Yorkshire
We intend to develop and adopt an LCWIP for each of the principal towns in the county. The aim of these is to identify the main cycle and walking improvements in a town to enable the county council to bid for government funding and/or to secure funding contributions from developers.
At the present time the council has or are in the process of developing LCWIPs for the following towns:
- Harrogate and Knaresborough (Cycle element complete, currently been upgrade to full LCWIP) (pdf / 7 MB)
- Harrogate Walking Infrastructure Plan (pdf / 5 MB) (produced in December 2020)
- Harrogate Walking Infrastructure Plan walking network (pdf / 1 MB)
- Scarborough Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (pdf / 16 MB)
- Skipton Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (pdf / 17 MB)
- Selby, Tadcaster and Sherburn in Elmet (in partnership with Selby district council) Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (pdf / 22 MB)
- Malton and Norton (in progress)
- Northallerton Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (pdf / 11 MB)
- Catterick and Catterick Garrison (to be commissioned in 20/21)
Each LCWIP for North Yorkshire has been developed in line with the LCWIP guidance but taking account of the rural nature of North Yorkshire.
Funding the LCWIPs
There is currently no government funding allocated for the implementation of LCWIP's. However, if funding becomes available from the government we will have a series of bid ready projects ready to submit for funding.
Additionally, having the LCWIP in place with network plans for each area allows the council to be in a much better position to request S106 funding from developers towards new infrastructure.